Broken Promises - A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book 8) by Reid Terri

Author:Reid, Terri [Reid, Terri]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

A cold wind blew in the schoolyard and plastic grocery bags and newspapers were airborne as children dashed around them, making their way to the parked buses at the side of the schoolyard. Clarissa walked slowly through the playground. She knew that Mrs. Gunderson would be waiting in her car, an ancient Buick that spewed black smoke and smelled of old cigarettes and stale beer. But before the key was shoved into the ignition and the car coughed to life, Mrs. Gunderson would demand the envelope that contained her babysitting money. The envelope she no longer had.

If she told Mrs. Gunderson the truth, there was a good chance she would go after the boys for the money. One of the boys was her nephew, after all, the same nephew who promised with a smile that if she told anyone, her mother would be killed. A shiver went through Clarissa’s body that had nothing to do with the cold. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, those young men would kill her mother without a second thought.

If she didn’t tell Mrs. Gunderson, she would find out soon enough, when the small zippered compartment was opened and no money was inside. She was pretty sure Mrs. Gunderson would throw her out of her car and leave her standing on the sidewalk in front of the school. She was also sure Mrs. Gunderson would accuse her of stealing the money or would accuse her mother of cheating her. Either way, her mother would find out the money was gone and that was one thing Clarissa couldn’t let happen.

She paused at the corner of the school as an idea took hold in her mind. Bending down, she laid her backpack on the ground and picked up a sharp rock. She pounded on the zipper pull until the small metal tabs broke and then, for good measure, she pounded on the zipper slide until it was misshapen and couldn’t be moved. With a small smile, she slipped the backpack on and skipped to the waiting car.

“What took you so long?” Mrs. Gunderson snapped. “I told you to come straight to me from your room. You hanging with some kids?”

Clarissa shook her head as she climbed into the car and tried to insert the rusted and filthy seatbelt into the buckle. “No, Mrs. Gunderson,” she said. “The teacher had to help me with my backpack. Someone took it and broke it.”

“What!?!” she screamed. “My money’s in that backpack. What the hell were you thinking?”

Clarissa shook her head. “The teacher said it looks like they tried to get into the pocket with your money, but they couldn’t. She said we should take it home and use…,” she paused, trying to remember the name of the tools her father used to use to open things. “Oh, yes, pliers…she said pliers would work to get it open.”

Mrs. Gunderson grabbed the backpack and tried to force the zipper down, but it was stuck fast.

“Pliers? I ain’t got no damn pliers in my apartment,” Mrs.

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